


A Bright Spot

by barbarosabee



Series: Fluffy oneshots [5]
Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Fluff, Gen, IT'S JUST WHOLESOME FLUFF OK, SO MUCH FLUFF, Soft Arthur, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and literal fluff, bc a fluffy animal is involved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 07:31:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barbarosabee/pseuds/barbarosabee
Summary: Arthur comes across an overturned stagecoach and finds something tiny and unexpected inside.





	A Bright Spot

**Author's Note:**

> I just about died writing this y'all it's so cute I'm not even sorry.
> 
> Infinite thanks to the anon who suggested Arthur finding a corgi puppy.

The reds and pinks and purples of dawn had sunk into the washed-out grey of an overcast sky and Arthur had been riding through the night. Had fully intended to make camp, but then there was a pack of wolves, and Calliope was galloping down the path before he even had a chance to shoot at them. 

By the time she slowed down, he was lost. Knew the general area they were in, but they had strayed too far from the path. Took him the better part of the night to find his way out of the woods. 

The sun had yet to reach them at the bottom of the ravine. A low fog wafted from the river. Arthur shivered in his coat. Could hardly feel his ass any more; had only stopped to let Calliope drink and stayed mounted as she did so. Wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep for a day.

They’d be coming on a path that turned towards Valentine soon, he was certain. The thought of a hot meal kept Arthur motivated to push on. Could crash at the hotel for a few hours and then head back to camp. 

The path dipped for a moment before rising again. As they crested the top, Arthur spotted something large in the reeds by the narrow fast-moving river. Hard to make out exactly what it was through the morning fog, but it weren’t moving and was too big to be any animal he’d ever seen. 

Finally got close enough to see it was an overturned coach. Arthur dismounted Calliope, stumbled a bit but told her to stay. Hand hovered over the pistol on his hip and he strained to make out any sounds from the carriage.

Both horses were dead, half buried in the water. Driver must’ve lost control on the steep downhill—a wonder they even came through here, narrow as the path was. Arthur found the driver not far from the horses, waterlogged but freshly dead. Skin still warm. Arthur checked for a pulse but was unable to find one. Moved on to the coach. The two passengers had been thrown into each other, against the far side of the carriage. An older man that reminded Arthur of Hosea, and a woman around the same age. 

Arthur sighed at the unfortunate scene as he climbed down. Should probably tell the Valentine sheriff about this, looked like the coach had come from that direction. Maybe someone in town knew these folk and would want to see them buried proper. 

Arthur knelt a bit upstream to wash his hands and splash some water on his face. Calliope nudged into his side and then lowered her nose into the river. Arthur stood, stretched, idly ran a hand through Calliope’s mane as she finished drinking. 

He was just about to mount up again when a faint whimpering drifted over to him from the stagecoach. 

Arthur hauled himself up the side again, peered in to see if anything was moving. After a moment of staring, the woman’s skirt shifted. 

“Ma’am? You alive down there?”

He watched her face. The whimpering came again, but the woman did not move. 

Arthur grumbled to himself and eased into the coach. Careful not to land on either body. The woman’s skirts moved again and the whining turned into something he thought he recognised. 

Trying to preserve her modesty, Arthur gingerly moved the skirts aside. Something wriggled out from the depths and flopped over the woman’s legs to get to him. Arthur scrambled backwards on instinct, but there wasn’t far to go and the creature quickly made it over to him. 

It was the strangest puppy Arthur had ever seen. Least, he _assumed_ it were a puppy, could be some kinda exotic animal for all he knew. Wide ears and stumpy legs and a coat like an Australian Shepard, only shorter. 

And the thing was so damn _small_. Looked like Arthur could fit it in a single hand. 

The puppy pushed into his leg, whining louder now. Arthur scooped it into his hands and it immediately burrowed into his chest, whimpering the whole time. Now that he got a good look at it, could tell one of its front paws was real messed up, flopping around like the bones weren’t attached anymore. 

Arthur had been correct, the thing _did_ fit into a single hand. Held it against his chest with one, pet along its back with the other until its shaking stopped. 

“There, see? Bet you had quite a fall, huh.”

The puppy turned two different coloured eyes to him. Pushed its way up his chest and lick at his face. Arthur tried to suppress the laughter but couldn’t, not when the pup moved even farther up his face, nearly got its tongue up his nose. 

“Alright, alright, let’s get you out of here.”

Arthur spent a few minutes arranging the tiny dog inside his vest, a nice sheepskin-lined one from the trapper. Then he buttoned his coat, and for good measure, kept a hand cupped around the little body as he hauled them from the coach. 

Calliope stared up at him, nostrils flaring. Soon as his feet touched the ground, she nosed at the lump on his chest. Arthur put one hand on her nose, told her to be gentle. Got in the saddle and kicked Calliope towards Valentine.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 -

A few folk gave Arthur odd looks as he dismounted with a hand pressed to his chest. The doctor was the worst, though, looking at Arthur like he’d lost his mind when he set the puppy on the counter.

“Can you do anything for him?”

“I could put him out of his misery.”

Arthur pulled the dog back into his chest. “He’s young, he’ll heal well. Can’t you set it? Or something? I got money.”

The doctor frowned, seemed offended almost. “I’m not a veterinarian, sir.”

“ ‘s just a bone, how different can it be?” Arthur kept a hand on the dog’s head. It had started to shake again. 

The doctor sighed. Took off his glasses. “It seems more than the bone. You said you found it in an overturned stagecoach? There’s likely . . . internal damage. I doubt it will survive the night.”

Arthur’s eyes fell to the pup. It pouted back up at him.

“If he makes it through the night, will you try to fix him up?”

The doctor threw his hands up, exasperated. “Yes, sir, if the tiny dog is alive tomorrow, I will take your money and treat him.”

“Don’t gotta be so sour about it,” Arthur grumbled as he left. 

Stopped in the general store to buy something the dog could try eating. Convinced the owner to give him an old apple box for a quarter. Grabbed a blanket and a spare shirt from Calliope before renting a room. The hotel owner gave him that same odd look everyone around town had been throwing Arthur’s way, but just said it weren’t his business so long as Arthur didn’t bring any violence through his doors again. 

Was a bit difficult assembling the miniature bed one-handed, but Arthur didn’t want to put the dog down for a second. Poor thing seemed so damn fragile, worried it would hurt itself or get too cold. Didn’t really want to put it in the box, but was too worried he’d fall asleep and roll over on it. He was determined to sit up through the night, if he had to, anything to make sure the pup could get a real chance at living.

Arthur eased the pup into the padded box. It hobbled in a weak circle, couldn’t seem to settle. Even with the blanket and the shirt, the box seemed about ten times too big for it. It turned its brown and blue eyes to Arthur, gave him another pathetic whimper. 

After a second of thought, Arthur got an idea. Retrieved his hat from the bedside table, held the pup in one hand and stuffed the shirt into the hat. Overflowed, of course, but it made it real snug. Placed the dog square in the center of the hat. That seemed to do the trick. Still had some room to move around, but could curl up tighter. 

Its lame paw dangled in a way that turned Arthur’s stomach. He’d noticed the swelling, how it felt hotter than the rest of the tiny body. Hoped for the best. Kept the dog in the hat in the box so it wouldn’t try to crawl around and risk falling off the bed. 

Arthur curled around the box and watched the puppy sleep. At one point it started to fuss and kick out; Arthur pet along its back, its forehead, and it settled. Left his hand in the box and was asleep before he knew it. Slept deep, clear past dawn and would’ve slept till noon if a small point of wet cold between his fingers hadn’t woken him. 

Then a set of tiny teeth clamped around his thumb and he was awake all the way, laughing. 

The puppy looked up at him from its box, tail wagging, tongue lolling. 

“Let’s go get you fixed up.”

  
  


Arthur left the doctor’s office pale as a sheet with a three-legged dog. 

The doctor said he’d be surprised if the dog lived through another night. Probably couldn’t survive the trauma of having a limb removed. He took Arthur’s money and gave him a miniature vial of morphine, said it was enough to let the dog die peacefully if Arthur gave it to him all at once. 

Arthur made his slow return to the hotel. The owner tried asking him what he had bundled up in his arms but Arthur ignored him. The dog was still out of it from the morphine and the procedure, but Arthur was assured by the steady breathing, the warmth, the little heart thrumming under his hand. 

He stretched out on the bed, shoved the pillows behind his back and leaned against the headboard. Arranged the tiny pup in the middle of his chest amongst the spare shirt, crossed his arms beneath the bundle to keep it steady. 

He just stared at the little body, forgot about everything else that had been on his mind lately. Weren’t much the praying type, but he prayed this dog survived. 

  


A wet tongue was lapping at his hand woke him for the second time. Dark outside the window, probably the middle of the night. Arthur looked down at the pup, and it wagged its tail when he acknowledged it.

“Sure showed him, huh little feller?”

The pup licked Arthur’s hand, struggled up his chest to get at his face. Didn’t even seem bothered by his missing leg.

Arthur allowed the dog to lap at his face. Eventually it wiggled into the space between his neck and shoulder, curled up tight around itself and went back to sleep. Arthur mashed up a spoonful of peas and just listened to the smooth steady breaths by his ear. He was loathe to wake the dog but it hadn’t eaten much the day before.

“C’mon, boy, gotta eat something.”

The dog’s yawn was loud in Arthur’s ear. He scooped it into one hand, held the mash near its face. Sniffed at it, gave a tentative lick and tucked into the portion.

“Gonna need a proper name now, ain’tchya?”

The dog licked the remnants from Arthur’s palm. He dug out another spoonful from the can. The pup slowed, gradually, but finished the second portion and immediately tried snuggling into Arthur’s neck again. Arthur held him up, stared him right in the eyes. The dog stared back. Yipped, once, after a moment, and his tongue lolled out again. 

“How’s about Silver?

The dog yipped again, wriggled until Arthur set him back on his chest.

“Silver it is, then.”

\- 0 - 0 - 0 -

Arthur would’ve slept in, but Silver was on his face bright and early. Gave him some more peas mixed with the smallest dose of morphine so he could sleep for the trip back to camp. Didn’t appear to be in too much pain, but Arthur knew dogs were good at hiding it.

Calliope sniffed at the lump where Silver was once again tucked into Arthur’s vest. Arthur peeled back his coat so she could get a closer sniff. Her nose grazed the top of Silver’s head; he left it there a moment, then moved back with a snort and a shake of her head. Arthur thumped her neck and gave her a peppermint. “You’ll get use to him, girl.”

The roads were mostly empty this time of day. The clouds had cleared but it had yet to warm up for the day. Arthur was glad for his vest and the small spot of heat nestled into his chest. 

A pheasant squacked, flew low by his head. Rest of the world was starting to wake up, songbirds and squirrels chirping and twittering on either side of the path. Arthur passed a ranch hand with a herd of sheep, tipped his hat in greeting. The border collie barking made Silver stir, but he settled with a few pats. The familiar edge of the Overlook came into view and Arthur slowed.

“Who goes there!” Bill shouted from the treeline.

“Arthur, comin’ in!”

“Hope you’ve been having fun while I’ve been stuck standin’ here!” he called after Arthur as they trotted down the path. Arthur tossed him a rude gesture over his shoulder.

Most of the camp was awake by the time Arthur came up to the hitching post. A few inquired after his odd posture and the lump in his coat, but he waved them off, said it weren’t nothing. Wanted to put off the inevitable swarm that was sure to come once everyone found out he’d brought a dog into camp.

Arthur dismounted, spotted Kieran and told him to see to Calliope. Made it maybe three feet into camp before Dutch was hollering for him.

“Arthur! We were starting to wonder where you’d gotten to!” Dutch’s brows pinched together when he saw Arthur’s arms held close to his chest. 

“Everything alright, son?”

“I’m fine.” Arthur paused in front of Dutch, moved one hand to reveal the puppy. 

Dutch stepped down from his tent, held his cigar behind his back. “Oh-ho, and what do we have here?” Dutch’s laughter carried across the camp, drew eyes towards them. He stretched a single finger towards the dog, pet along its forehead. 

“You keep bringing animals back and we’re going to have to open a zoo, Arthur.”

“I let the rabbit go,” he muttered, not quiet enough for Dutch to miss it. 

“Where the hell did you even find such a creature?”

“Overturned coach by the river.”

Silver yawned, tried to wiggle his head out from Arthur’s vest. 

“Is it a dog?”

“Suppose. Looked like real fancy folk, must be some new breed.” Arthur eased Silver from the confines of his clothes. 

Dutch frowned when his eyes came to the bandage. “You ever consider a three-legged dog might not be very useful?”

“We keep Uncle around, don’t we?”

Dutch paused just a second too long and Arthur thought he might be in some real trouble. Then he shook his head, chuckling, and clapped a hand on Arthur’s shoulder. “Fair point, fair point. Just keep it away from the chickens.”

Arthur hurried over to his tent after that. Prayed no one would come bother him, at least long enough to get Silver settled into a bed. 

Seemed people were busy enough to leave Arthur alone. Now that he was home and Silver had made it through the worst, Arthur’s fatigue from the last few weeks was catching up to him again. Hadn’t felt fully rested since they got back from Mill Plains, suspected it would be that way for some time with what the witch had done to him.

Arthur settled onto his cot, journal on his stomach and Silver curled up on his chest. Was just starting to drift off when he heard footsteps approach. Had mean words ready, but swallowed them when he opened his eyes and saw Hosea stood near the foot of the cot.

“I hear we have a new addition.”

Arthur smiled up at Hosea. Silver had fallen asleep with his head shoved under Arthur’s chin. 

Hosea noticed the bandages in a second. “Something happen?”

“Was broke when I found him, doctor couldn’t save it.” Arthur shook his head, a darkness tight around his eyes. “Wouldn’t even _do_ anything, practically had to beg the bastard.” He ran one finger down Silver’s spine; his little tail wagged in his sleep and he nuzzled further into Arthur. 

“Sure is a tiny scrap of a thing.”

“Yeah, but he’s a fighter.” _Doc wouldn’t see him if he didn’t make it through the night, and he’d made it through two_. 

“Has Jack seen him yet?”

“Na, wanted to let him rest some.”

“Does the little guy have a name?”

“...Silver.”

Hosea’s bark of laughter startled Arthur. “I see you reserve your inspiration for your horses.”

“You know me, Hosea.” Arthur returned Hosea’s grin. Shuffled forward a bit on the cot. “Feels like he’s waking up, here.” Arthur scooped a groggy Silver from his chest, held him out to Hosea. “Just be careful of his leg.”

Hosea cupped his hands around the dog, grin widening the whole time. “I always wondered why you didn’t try to get another dog, after Copper.”

“Suppose it just . . . never felt like the right time.”

“One could argue _now_ isn’t a good time.” Silver was well and truly awake now, and he wriggled around until he could lick at Hosea’s face. “Far be it from me to get in the way of your happiness, Arthur.”

Something twisted in Arthur’s heart and for a moment all the doubt from the last few months surged forward and he wondered what the hell he was still doing here. Wondered what the hell _Hosea_ stuck around for, too. 

Hosea was handing Silver back to him. Tiny little thing was wagging his tail so hard he looked fit to fall from Hosea’s hands. Arthur took him back, held him close to his chest. 

“Well I’ll leave you to it. I’m sure half the camp will be banging down your door once they hear there’s a dog around.”

“Catch you later.”

Arthur’s eyes roamed around camp as he thought about what put them here. The people they had lost. The fear he had, shoved way down where it was easier to ignore, that he was living on borrowed time and death would come knocking and not leave him alone this time. There was some kind of brief sorrow for what could’ve been, if things had gone just a bit different.

But then Silver was licking his chin, and Arthur forgot about all that, and just enjoyed his dog.

* * *

[art by the lovely tex-studmister on tumblr!](https://tex-studmister.tumblr.com/post/186715750622/i-drew-silver-from-barbarosabeees-fic-a-bright)

**Author's Note:**

> HNNNGGG MY HEART
> 
> Silver is a blue merle cardigan welsh corgi. Corgis were first imported to the US in the early early 1900s.
> 
> come find me on tumblr: http://barbarosabeee.tumblr.com


End file.
